Hay-curing rack.



J. A. MCLAUGHLIN.

HAY CURING RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.19;- 1,301,145. Patented Apr. 22 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IELIIl J. A. McLAUGHLlN.

HAY CURING RACK.

APPLICAT|ON FILED JULY 3.1918.

1 ,3OI 1 45 Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

and unique combinations end bars and secured to JAMES A. MCLAUGHLIN, 0F JESUP, GEORGIA.

HAY-CURING RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed July 3, 1918. Serial No. 243,158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. MCLAUGH- LIN, a citizen oft-he United States, residing at Jesup, in the county of lVayne and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Curing Racks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersski'lled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive, yet a highly efficient and in every way desirable rack for curing hay in' the field and then hauling the same to the baling press or to the mow as occasion may require, and with this end in view, a further object is to provide a rack which may be compactly stored when not in use.

lVith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation,

Fig. 3 is a substantially central vertical transverse section 011 the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the device folded for storing.

Briefly speaking, the improved rack comprises a pair of side frames F hinged together at their upper ends at H, transverse bars B, open guides G on the frames F removably receiving the ends of the bars B, skids S upon which theside frames are mounted, and shoes S applicable to the front ends of these skids when they are in use. t

Each frame F includes a pair of inclined end bars 1 secured at their lower ends to the skids S, and a plurality of longitudinal bars 2 extending between and beyond the the latter. The hinges H connect the upper ends of the bars 1 of the two frames as shown. The transverse bars B project beyond the frames F and rest on the bars 2, being preferably notched at 3 to receive said last named bars, whereby to prevent spreading of the two frames. Certain ofthe bars B abut the inner sides of the end bars 1, while others are located between the ends of the bars 2, vertical strips 1 being provided to pre vent the bars B from shifting longitudinally of the bars 2. The strips 4 extend across and are secured to the bars 2, and certain of these strips are employed for holding the bars B against the end bars 1, while the other strips 4 are located on opposite sides of the center bars B. To prevent endwise tilting of. the transverse bars when more hay is piled on one end thereof than the other, longitudinal strips 5 are secured to the end bars 1 and to the strips "1', said longitudinal strips overlying the ends of the bars B as shown, suflicient upward move ment of said ends being permitted, however, to allow the notches 3 to be disengaged from the bars 2 when the device is to be folded. Each frame F is preferably braced as seen at 6 or in any other preferred manner.

The skids S- are secured to the lower ends of the end bars 1 and have their ends beveled upwardly, and in order to provide for the easy drawing of the entire rack along even the roughest ground, without allowing the front ends of the skids to snub against stones, roots and the like, the shoes S are provided, the front ends of said shoes turning upwardly a considerable distance as shown at 7. The body portions of the shoes S are hollow and are so shaped as to be easily forced over the front ends of the skids, by the teamster, when the hay rack and the cock of hay thereon are to be moved. When this is to be done, a transverse draft bar 8 having a forwardly extending hitch 9 is provided, said bar resting on the skids in rear of the front end bars 1 and having shoulders 9 abutting the inner edges of said bars to prevent possible inward movement thereof.

In use, the racks are set up in the field and the hay cocks are formed thereon, the openwork construction of the racks serving to effectually air-cure the hay in a few days. A team is then hitched to the racks and they are thus drawn to the baling press or to the place at which the hay is to be stored away in a mow or the like. When the use of the rack is no longer needed, the transverse bars B are disengaged from the guides G and the two frames F may then be folded toward each other for compact storing. It may here be pointed out that the several guides referred to are formed by component 

